Enjoy some days in the open air on the rolling hills near Parma, sample local delicacies and have an e-bike ride to reach the most beautiful panoramic views. A private and tailored tour to give you days in the open air and without worries.
For those who love to travel in a SLOW, GREEN and ACTIVE way, to discover the gastronomic, cultural and naturalistic heritage of the Parma hills, far from the common tourist routes.
Day 1: Arrival in Parma, the Food Valley. Parma is the watchword that opens the gate to the paradise of food, music and art. Because Parma is a unique place where you can hardly distinguish where art blends into the way food products are crafted as masterpieces to be enjoyed first with the eyes, then in the mouth.
Spend your afternoon sightseeing, walk along the quaint street of the city, visit the masterpieces as Antelami’s Baptistery, the imposing Romanesque Cathedral and the impressive Farnese Theatre.
Drive to the hills near Parma and check-in at the hotel facing the medieval castle of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Pontremoli.
Dinner at leisure in the nearby local restaurants.
Opportunity to have a gourmet dinner in a special ancient location where haute cuisine is skilfully fused with local tastes and culinary Italian traditions. Overnight stay.
Day 2: Exquisite breakfast at the hotel.
Together with your private guide and food expert, visit to a Parmigiano Reggiano PDO factory on Parma hills.
Meet the dairymen passing down their expertise to the next generation. Taste the product at its various maturations, surrounded by towering shelves of cheese wheels, and discover the secrets of traditional recipes.
Opportunity to visit the farm encompassing the whole production chain, from rearing the animals to processing the cheese.
Drive to a family-run PDO Parma Ham factory and discover the different processing stages and the secrets to recognising the quality of Prosciutto di Parma PDO with the help of experts, then treat your taste buds to sampling the product at various ages during the lunch inside the panoramic room: a celebration of unique flavours.
In the afternoon, on top of a green hill overlooking the valley, visit to a local wine cellar producing honest and authentic wines.
The owners will share the production methods behind some of Parma’s most prestigious wines.
Taste them on their own or have fun pairing them with other typical local products. The tasting could be set in the vineyards or in the panoramic room admiring the Po Valley till the Alps.
Finally have a walk through the countryside around the cellar, relax and toast your holiday whilst soaking up the splendid scenery of Parma Hills.
Dinner at leisure in the nearby local restaurants or food-delivery by one of the best restaurants around. Overnight stay.
Day 3: Delicious and energizing breakfast at the hotel.
Bike or e-bike rental and ride on the smooth hills around Parma overlooking the beauties of Langhirano and the oriental Appenines. The hills offer charming landscapes on the plain, the valley and the wondrous Castle of Torrechiara, with its slopes and vineyards.
Ride on routes and paths through fields and vineyards for an unforgettable and exciting tour through the rolling hills of the area, reaching easily the most beautiful panoramic points.
Photo-stop at Torrechiara Castle, set on a high perch overlooking the Parma valley, surrounded by vineyard as far as eye can see, it is one of the best preserved fortifications in whole the region. It was built between 1448 and 1460 by Pier Maria Rossi, who had it girded with a triple wall and four corner towers linked by battlemented parapets.
Lunch in an Agriturismo sampling the locally produced delicacies like fresh homemade pasta (tortelli, tagliatelle, anolini, lasagne…), locally grown vegetables and traditional desserts: healthy and delicious food!
In the afternoon, if your return-trip allows, chance to visit a Traditional Balsamic Vinegar PDO loft set in the green Reggio Emilia hills imbued with the peace and tranquillity of nature’s unchanging rhythms. You will be welcomed by the owners and invited into their home to be part of an age-old tradition where hospitality is a given. Take time out to savour a magical place.
Guided visit to the cellar by the owners and taste the delicious black nectar, learning to identify the various types, on its own or paired with other local delicacies. End of the tour.
More special activities:
- Chance to rent an electric car or a luxurious one like a Tesla, experiencing a panoramic green tour on Parma and Reggio Emilia hills.
- Private licensed Guida Ambientale Escursionistica (Nature & Walking Guide) during the bike/e-bike tour.
- Learn how to cut Parma Ham with a Berkel slicer. Discover the history of the device and have a go yourself! Also learn to slice by hand with a knife and to present - Chance (to be confirmed in advance with the various producers) to adopt a set of barrels and produce your own vinegar. (Price will be estimated).
- Chance to meet artisan barrel makers to hear about the characteristics of the different woods and their effects on the vinegar.
- Extra for a food expert private guide on Day 1 and Day 3
The tour foresees:
Services on request: transfers, not included guided visits, entrance fee to monuments, not included meals, tourist tax.
We offer you a private and tailor-made tour, organized in compliance with the regulations to make you live your experience in safety and serenity. Ask for your customized tour.
Safety protocols observed by our selected suppliers for this itinerary are available on request.
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